Scottish Mountains | Scotland Outdoors Scottish Mountains Posted on March 9, 2011 by admin Scottish mountains have a curious system of being catalogued according to their height. The highest mountains are called Munros, after Sir Hugh Munro who measured all Scottish mountains back in 1891 and listed them in the so called Munros Tables. In order to make the list, a mountain needs to pass the 3000 feet mark (914.4 metres). Over the years these tables have suffered various modifications. At the moment, the Scottish Mountaineering Club grants 283 mountains the honour of being a Munro. There are also 227 additional “Tops”, peaks that fulfill the height criteria, but are part of a ridge or a range and too close to a Munro for being counted as a separate mountain. The activity of climbing all of the Munros is called “Munrobagging”, a popular sport in Scotland.

Munro: Carn Dearg (1221 m), The North-West Top Of Ben Nevis, Above A Cloud Inversion If a mountain is less than 3000 feet but more than 2500 feet (762 metres) high, it is called a Corbett. The Corbett list includes 221 mountains. Apart from their height, another parameter for a Corbett is to have a re-ascent of at least 500 feet on all sides. They owe their name to John Rooke Corbett, a Scottish mountaineer and one of the first climbers to complete all Munros. Corbett-bagging should not be regarded as inferior to Munrobagging. There are many fine mountains among the Corbetts whose ascent is more difficult than a Munro’s. For people who can see beyond the Munros, the Corbetts are definitely worth of a good number of days out. Corbetts: Foinaven With Loch Blarloch In The Foreground Next, there are the Grahams: mountains with heights between 2000 feet (610 metres) and 2499 feet (761 metres).

They were formerly known as Elsies (Lower Corbetts, LCs, that’s Scottish humour for you), but were renamed after Fiona Torbet (born Graham), who published her own list of mountains meeting the criteria in 1992. The original list of Elsies and Torbet’s new list were combined into a single list which is today known as Grahams. There are 224 Grahams on the list, including 7 island Grahams. View Grahams: Beinn Talaidh At The Head Of Glen Forsa Finally, there are even more Scottish mountain categories that I want to mention briefly: Donalds, New Donalds and Marilyns. Donalds are basically a collection of Scottish Lowland hills over 2000 feet, named after a list by Percy Donald. However, the criteria were not complicated and not always clear, which is why the New Donalds list came into being, trying to rationalize the criteria. According to the definition, the New Donalds are “hills in Central or Southern Scotland at least 2000 feet high (610m) with a drop of at least 30 metres (98 feet) all round”.

A Marilyn is “a hill of any height with a drop of 150 metres (nearly 500 ft) or more on all sides”. That means that any Munro, Corbett, Graham or Donald can also be a Marilyn. It basically refers to a hill that is relatively high compared to its surroundings. Alan Dawson compiled the list, but decided to name these mountains “Marilyn”, after the more famous Munro list – another example of Scottish humour. Here are lists of the Top Ten Munros, Corbetts and Grahams. I want to make it clear that these are Top Ten lists in terms of height only, not in terms of beauty or difficulty!

The Ten Highest Munros: Ben Nevis: 4409 feet or 1344 metres (Ben Nevis Range) Ben Macdui: 4295 feet or 1309 metres (Cairngorm range) Braeriach: 4252 feet or 1296 metres (Cairngorm range) Cairn Toul: 4236 feet or 1291 metres (Cairngorm range) Sgor an Lochain Uaine: 4236 feet or 1258 metres (Cairngorm range) Cairngorm: 4081 feet or 1244 metres (Cairngorm range) Aonach Beag: 4049 feet or 1234 metres (Nevis & Grey Corries range) Aonach Mor: 4006 feet or 1221 metres (Nevis & Grey Corries range) Carn Mor Dearg: 4003 feet or 1220 metres (Ben Nevis range) Ben Lawers: 3983 feet or 1214 metres (Ben Lawers range

) The Ten Highest Corbetts: Beinn Dearg: 2999 feet or 914 metres (Glen Tromie to Glen Tilt) Foinaven: 2999 feet or 914 metres (Coigach and Cape Wrath) Sgurr ‘Choire-bheithe: 2995 feet or 913 metres (Glen Etive to Glen Lochy) Beinn ‘Bhreac: 2992 feet or 912 metres (Loch Rannoch to Glen Lyon) Leathad an Taobhain: 2992 feet or 912 metres (Loch Rannoch to Glen Lyon) The Fara: 2989 feet or 911 metres (Inveraray to Crianlarich) Beinn Dearg Mor: 2986 feet or 910 metres (Pitlochry to Braemar and Blairgowrie) Meall Buidhe: 2986 feet or 910 metres (Strathyre to Strathallan) Beinn nan Oighreag: 2982 feet or 

909 metres (Strathyre to Strathallan) Leum Uilleim: 2982 feet or 909 metres (Inveraray to Crianlarich) The Ten Highest Grahams: Beinn Talaidh: 2497 feet or 761 metres (Mull) Cnoc Coinnich: 2497 feet or 761 metres (Loch Goil to Long Long) Sgurr ‘Chaorainn: 2497 feet or 761 metres (Strontian, Lochaber) Beinn ‘Chapull: 2490 feet or 759 metres (Inverinan Forest, Argyll) Carn an Tionail: 2490 feet or 759 metres (Carn Dearg, Sutherland) Shee of Ardtalnaig: 2490 feet or 759 metres; (Loch Tay, Perthshire) Beinn Shiantaidh: 2484 feet or 757 metres (Jura) Creag Dubh: 2480 feet or 756 metres (Mon

adhliath range) Cook’s Cairn: 2477 feet or 755 metres (Blackwater Forest, Moray) The Stob: 2470 feet or 753 metres (Braes of Balquhidder) After all this theory, don’t get carried away.

Remember what this is all about: Climbing a mountain should be an enjoyable experience: a day out in the nature, a physical exercise and a break from your day to day routine. Don’t become obsessed with “having to” bag this or that mountain or whether the mountain is a Munro, “only” a Corbett or, even “worse”, a Graham. Please share your experiences about Scottish mountains and hillwalking, I’d love to hear about your stories! Mountains In Scotland - Holiday ScotlandHoliday Scotland Mountains In Scotland Comments: 1 Mountains of Scotland The mountains of Scotland are usually the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of the Highlands and Scotland is the most mountainous country in the United Kingdom. The mountains across the Highlands vary in looks from gentle sweeping slopes and plateaus to craggy and dangerous rock faces that challenge some of the world’s best rock climbers, the Mountains even offer great skiing during the winter months. Some of the most well-known mountain ranges are The Cairngorms, Grampians, Cuillins, and the magnificent mountains around Glencoe, that is home to Buachaille Etive Mòr with its triangular shape best typifies what a mountain should look like.

it is located south of Glencoe on the A82 close to the junction of Glen Etive. Ben Nevis Ben Nevis is Scotland’s highest mountain and is located close to Fort William, it is also the highest mountain in the UK at 4,409 ft. In fact 10 of the United Kingdom’s highest mountains are all in Scotland. Ben Nevis can be climbed all year round, but special care should be taken during the winter. The mountain can be easily accessed from Fort William heading down the road to Glen Nevis, There are many places to stay in Fort William and you will find many walkers or climbers who know Ben Nevis well, If you are unsure and not experienced in walking mountains, try to get a guide or walk with someone who has done Ben Nevis before. Many people make the mistake of heading to the foot of the mountain on a nice sunny day in Fort William, and get caught out at the top of the mountain with weather they did not expect. It is much higher than it looks, so do not underestimate Ben Nevis.

Carn Mor Dearg 4003 ft Ben Lawers 3983 ft Mountains in Scotland that are over 3000 feet are known as Munros, these where named after Hugh Munro who collated a list of mountains over the height of 3000 ft and named it Munro’s tables. Cuillin Mountains The Isle of Skye is host to one of Scotland’s most spectacular range of mountains named the Cuillins the highest point of the Cuillin mountains is Sgurr Alasdair standing at 3255 feet, these mountains are very rugged and fantastic to look at, anyone seeing these mountains for the first time would be excused for thinking they where standing somewhere else but the British Isles, they make one of the most fantastic vistas anywhere in Europe. Cairngorm Mountains The Cairngorm mountains are well known for the winter skiing available during Scotland’s winter, the Cairngorms sit proudly in the Cairngorm National Park overlooking Aviemore, the mountains are a large plateau and have the largest volume of snow of all the mountains in Scotland, in fact the Cairngorms are home to five of the highest six mountains in Scotland.

I have named only a few mountain ranges available to you in Scotland, and there are many more to visit when you are on holiday in Scotland in the winter or the summer. So don’t forget your camera when you visit Scotland and take some of the most fantastic pictures you will ever own. But also be careful venturing onto the mountains of Scotland as they can be a very unpredictable place, especially during the winter months when the mountain weather can change without much notice. Always let someone know when you are venturing onto the mountains to walk or take photographs, and let them know a time when you are expected to return. Do not go unprepared and always wear the correct clothing and take necessary tools with you like maps, compass, warm clothing and food. Share this: Scottish Mountains & Hills | VisitScotland Grahams Opens a new window UK's highest mountain Ben Nevis grabs the headlines as the highest mountain in the UK, but there are hundreds of other peaks worthy of your best boots. Scotland's next five highest peaks are in the Cairngorms , a huge area of upland with the pulsing outdoor hub of Aviemore at its heart. Experienced walkers' hearts will flutter when they see the Cuillin ridge in Skye.

This magnificent alpine-style route is unlike anything else in the UK, with a continuous 12 km ridge crest demanding concentration on every step. There are also formidable Munros at Lochnagar, Glen Affric and the wilds of Knoydart. Southern Uplands Although 'the Scottish Highlands' are in the north of the country, if you head south past the central lowlands, you'll enter a whole new world of character-packed hills. In Dumfries & Galloway is the mighty Merrick, which stands just shy of Munro status. Towards the east are the seductive rolling summits of the Moorfoot and Lammermuir ranges. Winding all the way through this adventurer's playground is the Southern Upland Way , a long distance trail that stretches for 212 miles (341 km) from coast to coast. Small but beautiful Sometimes the best things do come in small packages. Stac Pollaidh is one of Scotland's most distinctive hills and from start to finish an utter joy to climb. The path starts off steadily, rising in gentle circuit of the hill's shoulders. For the final summit push you'll need your hands, feet and all your wits in a thrilling scramble.

From the top, the views of the scattered peaks and surrounding loch-strewn wilds are astonishing. Who says you have to go up the hills to enjoy them? Walk through Glencoe or Glen Shiel and you can enjoy the soaring ridges and huge buttresses from a gentle riverside path. In the Trossachs you can picnic by a loch and admire the crumpled rocky peaks that inspired Sir Walter Scott to write his classic novel Rob Roy. Mountain city You don't even have to leave the city to enjoy Scotland's hills - Edinburgh has a mini-mountain right in its midst! Arthur's Seat is a rugged ancient volcano surrounded by open parkland. You can explore three lochs, hidden glens, spectacular cliffs and meet some surprising wildlife. You can also climb to the hill's summit in just half an hour for the best possible views of Scotland's capital city. Munros Sir Hugh Munro could never have guessed what he was starting when he compiled his list of Scotland's 3,000 ft hills in 1891. Climbing the 282 Munros is now an iconic achievement for keen hillwalkers.

If you complete a 'round' you will also have explored some of the most beautiful and remote landscapes in Europe. Ben Lomond, just north of Glasgow, is many people's first Munro. The Isle of Skye has 12 Munros, all very challenging. Corbetts The Munros certainly make up a magical list, but hillwalkers who ignore Scotland's Corbetts are missing out on some amazing days out. Classic Corbetts include The Cobbler, Ben Ledi and Arkle. Grahams If you're new to hillwalking or simply fancy a gentle walk in the country, you'll find the Grahams offer some wonderful days of adventure. Try Tinto Hill in the Borders, Marsco on Skye and Suilven in the far north. Glens There wouldn't be any hills without glens to separate the summits! Take time to enjoy these scenic valleys and you'll be surprised by emerald lochs, fairy pools, historic battle sites, and Harry Potter's steam train. Got a couple of minutes? You could climb a Munro! No, really - it’s possible thanks to our 360 degree outdoors adventure movies , and you don’t even need a raincoat!

Looking for a new hillwalking adventure? Start climbing Arthurs! The 'Arthurs' are 20 major peaks that can be seen from Arthur's Seat in the centre of Edinburgh. The list include hills as far away as Lochnagar, 69 miles (111 km) to the north, Ben Lomond to the west and Schiehallion; it's an eclectic mix of Munros, Corbetts and Grahams. Get travel tips by email Sign up to our emails for inspiring travel ideas, news, offers and much more. Summits of Great Britain Some Mountains, Hills and Summits of Great Britain These pages feature some of the many mountains, hills, fells, summits and high points in Britain. The criteria for inclusion are that (1) I've climbed the hill in question, and (2) that I've taken a photo at the summit. Wherever possible there is also a picture of the hill from a neighbouring summit or adjacent valley, or a picture of the view from the top.

Ben Nevis, the highest summit in Britain Page 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 Britain is a small country yet it has a surprising diversity of landscapes and a considerable expanse of upland areas. We've got mountains, hills, fells, escarpments, heaths, moors and downs. We've got grassy summits, rocky summits, forested summits and even suburban summits. We've got odd, isolated hills rising from flat plains, we've got ranges of mountains, we've got clusters of fells, we've got huge upland plateaux of both mountain and moor. During the last 150 years or so the recreational use of our high ground has taken hold. People love to ramble, to hike, to hillwalk and to climb. It was perhaps inevitable that some of the explorers would turn to listing and classifying the hills that they'd climbed or aspired to climb. Thus there are many lists of British hills, each of them defined by a variety of criteria.

Scottish mountains over 3000 ft high? There's a list. English hills exceeding 2000 ft? There's a list, in fact more than one. All UK hills with a relative height of 500ft or more? Yes, there's a list. Every list is different, and some are controversial. Disputes arise over just how you define your criteria. What makes a hill a hill, what makes a mountain a mountain? What, in essence, is the difference? If a hill has more than one top, how do you define which are principal summits and which are mere outliers? When does a mountain with several summits stop being a mountain and start being a mountain range? The problem is, of course, that all these things are subjective. Everyone has different opinions. In an attempt to satisfy these differences there are a variety of overlapping lists with different inclusion criteria for height, reascent, relative height, proportional height and distance. I recently found a quote on the web (and I regret that I've lost the reference), which says, "ultimately you can't define mountains by numbers." It's absolutely true.

Every list, inevitably, contains summits that simply aren't interesting, and leaves out many that are. But that doesn't deter the "baggers" and list-tickers. We know that these lists are artificial, yet they represent a ready-made challenge which many cannot resist. There are those who dedicate themselves to climbing all the Munros, or all the Corbetts, or all the Wainwrights or Marilyns or whaterer else takes their fancy. I'll never complete any of the lists. (Well, perhaps the Wainwrights if I'm lucky). I'm a fair weather walker, I don't like exposure to steep drops, and I don't drive so many hills are beyond my reach. But I do love hills and mountains and summits, and I visit those I can whenever the opportunity arises. In these pages I want to share some of them with you. Below are some notes on the various lists. Munros (and Munro Tops) Mountains in the Scottish Highlands over 3000 ft, as listed by Sir Hugh Munro late in the 19th century. The feat of completing the Munros is still the ultimate achievement for hillwalkers and summit baggers.

Munro divided his list into two sections - principal summits, and outlying "tops". However he defined neither, and many feel that he left glaring anomalies and inconsistencies. Tops to which Wainwright would have given a whole chapter languish in obscurity, having been defined neither as a Munro or a Top. Cairn Gorm, for instance, has thirteen recognisable summits; Munro defined Cairngorm itself as the principal summit but only 5 of the other 12 are Tops. Liathach, which most people think of as a single mountain, was regarded by Munro as a range and given two principal summits. Neighbouring Beinn Eighe, however, which has a more extensive and complex ridge than Liathach, got only one Munro - Ruadh Stac Mor, which topographically is an outlier some way off the main ridge. Re-surveying by the OS over the years has resulted in a number of summits either being promoted to or demoted from the list. Beinn Teallach in the Monadhliath range seems to have changed lists more than once.

More contentious are the changes in status which the Scottish Mountaineering Club have introduced over the years - Tops have become Munros, Munros have become Tops, undefined summits have also come and gone. The SMC take a committee, and therefore consensus, approach to these changes, but they still remain subjective and some of them still appear to be inconsistent to outside observers. It's a debate that may continue indefinitely. There are currently 283 Munros and a further 227 Tops. All Munros are also Murdos (see below). Some writers refer to the Furth Munros - these are other British mountains that would qualify as Munros if the definition were extended to cover the whole country rather than just the Scottish Highlands. There are four Furth Munros in England and fifteen in Wales. A subset, Metric Munros (Metros) has been proposed, which would include all Munros over 1000 metres in altitude. Murdos The Murdos are an attempt by writer and walker Alan Dawson to rationalise the Munro list.

In his introduction on the Tacit Press website , he says:- "The word Munro has become synonymous with Scottish mountains over 3000 feet, yet anyone who has climbed all the Munros will be aware that numerous 3000-foot summits are not counted. The list of Munro Tops might therefore be regarded as a natural progression, but few Munroists have gone on to climb all of these. [Some believe that] the Munro Tops are an unsatisfying assortment of major mountain summits and minor bumps... The list of Murdos provides a much more rational and appealing extension to the Munros. "A Murdo is a Scottish peak over 914.4 metres high (3000 feet) with a reascent of at least 30 metres (98 feet). The 444 Murdos comprise all 277 Munros, 160 of the most significant Munro Tops and seven additional summits.

The list of Murdos [includes] the most rewarding 3000-foot summits without the less significant tops." Alan Dawson has also appended a list of sub-Murdos, which are summits that just fail to qualify for inclusion in the list (useful, as resurveys may promote at least some of them to full Murdohood some day). One writer has had the idea of extending the definition of Murdos throughout the British Isles. In this scenario, in addition to the 444 Murdos in Scotland there are also 6 in England, 15 in Wales and 13 in Ireland. Corbetts John Rooke Corbett's list encompasses all of Scotland, not just the Highlands. He listed summits that are above 2500 ft in height and are not already Munros; furthermore, he stipulates a minimum 500 ft reascent. This extra rule excludes less significant tops and gives his hills a degree of distinction. Effectively the Corbetts are a "second division" of peaks in the Highlands. Resurveys occasionally promote and delete hills to and from this list; there are currently 221 Corbetts.

Rather more recently a list of Corbett Tops has been produced, and also one of Corbett Tops of Munros. Corbett Tops have a 100 ft reascent criterion, the same as Murdos. Some walkers also refer to English and Welsh 2500-ers as Furth Corbetts or Welsh / English Corbetts. All Corbetts are also Marilyns (see below), save for one specific exception involving two adjacent Corbetts with identical heights. Donalds Donalds (after the compiler, Percy Donald) are Scottish hills outwith the Highlands, with a minimum height of 2000 ft. His list is subjective in that it stipulates no reascent figure, but in practice all Donalds have a reascent of at least 100 ft and there are no apparent omissions or anomalies. The original list covered the Southern Uplands but a small number of hills close to (but outside) the Highland Boundary Fault have recently been appended. There are 87 Donalds. Some hills are both Donalds and Corbetts. Grahams Basically, all Scottish hills between 2000 and 2500 ft.

A "Third Division" if you like, though this category includes some significant and popular mountains such as Suilven and Stac Polly. Like the Corbetts, a reascent of at least 500 ft is stipulated. This list of hills was first published in The Relative Hills of Britain (Alan Dawson, Cicerone Press, 1992). Originally, Scottish hills in this height range were referred to as Elsies (short for Lesser Corbetts). They have since been renamed Grahams in memory of the late Fiona Torbet (née Graham), who compiled her own list of such hills at around the same time. Her initial list omitted all hills in Southern Scotland and about a dozen in the Highlands, but included several hills with less than 150 metres of reascent. To avoid having two conflicting lists, it was agreed to use the existing list published in The Relative Hills... (with a few name changes), but to refer to the hills as Grahams. There are 224 Grahams. Some hills are both Donalds and Grahams; all Grahams are also Marilyns (see below).

There is also a list of Graham Tops (of Munros, Corbetts and Grahams); these , like the Corbett Tops, have a reascent of 100 ft. Marilyns The Marilyns are another invention of writer and walker Alan Dawson and represent an attempt to rationalise the differences in criteria between the various lists covering Britain, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, England-and-Wales or the British Isles as a whole. However, it introduces a quirk of its own - it stipulates a *relative* height of 500 ft from all surrounding terrain. The Marilyns cover all Britain but exclude Ireland. Very recently the 500 ft criterion appears to have been "metricated" to 150 metres, but this has made no actual difference to the list itself. This 500 ft (or 150m) relative height stipulation brings in hill summits in relatively minor English hill ranges such as the Cotswolds and Lincolnshire Wolds, some of which might be regarded as obscure, boring or remote – but of course the same can be said of certain Munros.

The higher Scottish Marilyns are also Munros or Corbetts (or Murdos); those between 2000 and 2400 ft high are the same as the Grahams (see above). A major advantage of Marilyn bagging is that it encourages you to explore parts of Britain that other lists don't cover, but a downside is that it brings in tops on several remote Scottish islands (such as St Kilda), plus a small handful of fearsome sea stacks that require advanced climbing skills. Some Marilyns are barred from public access and it seems doubtful whether anyone will ever succeed in climbing all of them. There are 1554 Marilyns at present though the number fluctuates occasionally as maps are republished with newly surveyed contours, or independent surveys accepted by the OS establish more accurate heights. A list of sub-Marilyns (those that don't quite make it either on the height or reascent criteria) has also been compiled.

Some additional info from the compiler, Alan Dawson: "In essence Marilyns are similar to Corbetts, but whereas Corbetts are only between 2500 and 3000 feet high and are only found in Scotland, Marilyns may be from 500 to 4500 feet high and are found throughout Scotland, England and Wales. It must be admitted that not every single one of the Marilyns is terrifically interesting, but a high proportion of them are significant summits or local landmarks, whereas the list excludes many of the more tedious summits that have been included in other lists." For comprehensive information see Alan's website, The Relative Hills of Britain Wainwrights The 214 Lakeland summits listed in Alfred Wainwright's seven volumes have never officially been given the collective description of "The Wainwrights" but the definition seem to have come into popular usage almost by default. Wainwright stipulated a specific, tightly-bound area within which he listed and surveyed every summit above 1000ft, though there was no reascent or distance criterion, several blatant omissions (e.g.

Walna Scar, over 2000ft high, south of Coniston Old Man) and a sentimental inclusion or two (e.g Castle Crag in Borrowdale). As well as being subjective his list was also inconsistent. For instance, he gives Scafell Pike two Tops (Broad Crag and Ill Crag), yet Skiddaw Low Man is listed as a separate fell. Few would regard Armboth Fell as a separate hill, particularly as half a dozen similar bumps attached to neighbouring Ullscarf were given no such distinction. Several other Wainwrights, such as Pavey Ark, are not even summits but merely appear to be so when viewed from below. And as for Mungrisedale Common.... it seems likely that AW was just filling space in Book 5. Having said all that, the Wainwrights remain as the finest list of Lakeland hills bar none. Hewitts Another invention of Alan Dawson, and introduced and listed by him in The Relative Hills of Britain . An acronym - Hills in England, Wales or Ireland over Two Thousand feet high. There is a reascent criterion of 30 meters (100 ft approx).

Previously the Hewitts were known as the "Sweats" and excluded Ireland. There are 525 Hewitts in total: 178 in England, 138 in Wales and 212 in Ireland. Apart from the 211 Irish Hewitts many hills in this list are also Marylins and may also be Wainwrights. All Hewitts are also Nuttalls (see below). Nuttalls John and Anne Nuttall have published a two-volume book, Mountains of England and Wales (Vol 1: Wales, Vol 2: England). These books, and the Nuttalls website , list summits over 2000 feet (610m) with a reascent of 50 feet (fifteen metres). There are 443 Nuttalls.

Deweys Michael Dewey's "Mountain Tables" is currently the most recent list to appear in print, a slightly quirky publication listing English / Welsh hills lower than 2000 ft but higher than 500 metres (roughly 1550ft), with a 100 ft reascent criterion - there are 186 in England, 242 in Wales and 5 on the Isle of Man. They are in effect a second division of Hewitts. Clements Based on a list by Clem Clements, these are hills in England, Wales and the Isle of Man of 100 ft prominence and between 1000 ft and 500 metres in height; the division below Deweys, in effect. There are an estimated 1712 Clements. Donald Deweys Based on a list compiled by Rob Woodall of the Relative Hills of Britain Yahoo group, these are the Scottish equivalent of the Deweys; i.e. hills higher than 500 metres with 100ft prominence not already on other lists. There are 1015 of them.

I have been calling them the Woodalls on these pages in the past. Yeamans In 1989 Dr Eric Yeaman published a bumper list of Scottish mountains, including all those with a reascent of 100 ft plus others qualifying by a measure of distance. Purely for the purposes of these pages, however, I'm counting a hill as a Yeaman only if it's between 1000ft and 500 metres in height, i.e. it's not already listed as a Munro, Corbett (or Corbett Top), Graham (or Graham Top) or Woodall. In effect my Yeamans list is the Scottish equivalent of the Clements. There are 2326 of them. HuMPs HuMPs are a superset of Marilyns; the acronym means "Hundred Metre Prominences". Thus the HuMPs are all British hills with a hundred metre (roughly 330 ft) prominence regardless of height. They encompass the Marilyns, sub-Marilyns and others.

The HuMPs serve two purposes; they give seasoned Marilyn baggers yet more hills to tick, and they also introduce a purely metric British hill list for the first time. There are currently 2985 HuMPs, of which just 820 lay outside Scotland. One practical difficulty facing any aspiring HuMP bagger is that a good many of the lesser ones have no public access whatsoever, often being situated on working farmland. Another is that the HuMPs include a summit that is arguably the most difficult in Britain - the Old Man of Hoy, a fearsome sea-stack in the Orkneys. A definitive list of HuMPs has been compiled by Mark Jackson. ThuMPs ThuMPs are purely my own invention; the list contains nothing new but is simply a collection of all lists of hills of 100ft (i.e. 30 metre) prominence. I wanted a list that would start with the Murdos (in Scotland) and the Hewitts (in England) but would extend down to 1000ft of altitude.

Thus it is a combination of the Murdos, Corbetts and tops, Grahams and tops, Hewitts, Deweys, Donald Deweys, Clements and Yeamans. It doesn't include any hills less than 1000ft high. Other Lists Many other lists have been published, many of them relatively recently, and it's worth mentioning them here. John Rooke Corbett, as well as his list of Scottish 2500 ft summits, also drew up a list of English 2500 ft summits in 1911. It was published in the Rucksack Journal. It was revised in the 1920's and later amended by Edward Moss in 1933. In the same year W T Elmslie published a list of English 2000 ft hills. F H Simpson followed up in 1937 with a list of Lake District 2000 ft summits, using more accurate mapping. Edward Moss extended Simpson's list with one covering the whole of England in 1939 and then Wales in 1940. He subsequently published a number of updates.

George Bridge was next on the scene, his 1973 list covering 2000 ft summits in England and Wales using a criterion based on a relative-height-plus-distance formula. Another list of English summits, compiled by Nick Wright, appeared in 1974. Chris Buxton and Gwyn Lewis published a more comprehensive English / Welsh 2000 ft summit list in 1986, with a reascent criterion of just 10 metres - consequently this list includes a great many minor tops. Finally, Richard Moss, the son of Edward Moss, maintains an internet database of English / Welsh hills based on his father's tables. It cross references these with the lists of Dawson (i.e. Hewitts), Nuttall, Bridge, Buxton & Lewis, and Wright. The concept of Relative Height Relative height (otherwise known as prominence) is a slightly tricky concept to grasp if you don't instinctively understand it first off. In essence it's the minimum net height you have to reascend to reach the summit of a given hill from any higher ground. It's a measure of how well it stands apart from its neighbours in terms of elevation.

For a more detailed description see A way to visualise relative height is to imagine that sea level can rise and fall. To determine the relative height of any given hill, imagine that the sea rises just enough to cut your hill off completely from all higher ground. The relative height is your hill's elevation above the new, imaginary, sea level. Summit lists that rely on the concept of relative height, such as the Marylins, therefore list hills of individuality - those that stand out from their neighbours. A consequence of such a list is that it always includes the principal summit of any upland area but will tend to leave out the minor tops or "bumps". Upland plateaux such as Dartmoor tend to have few summits with a significant prominence, whereas "peaky" areas such as Kintail will have plenty. Ultimately, though, even lists based on relative height are going to have boring summits as well as exciting ones. The concept of aesthetic appeal just can't be based on numbers.

Scotfax: The Munros on Undiscovered Scotland The Ridge of the Black Cuiliin on Skye The Munros are distinct Scottish mountains over 3,000ft (914.4m) in height. They are named after Sir Hugh Munro a Scottish laird, politician, diplomat and a founding member of the Scottish Mountaineering Club. In September 1891 he published his "Tables giving all the Scottish mountains exceeding 3,000 feet in height", more usually known simply as "Munro's Tables". Odd though it seems, until 1891, there had been considerable disagreement about the number of mountains over 3,000ft in Scotland. One well respected guide for the Victorian traveller listed just 31, while the 3rd Edition of Robert Hall's "The Highland Sportsman and Tourist" published in 1884 and making use of mapping information newly published by the Ordnance Survey, listed 236.

The tables published by Munro in 1891 were partly the result of the more accurate Ordnance Survey mapping already used by Hall, and partly the result of his own observations made during climbs of many of the mountains. The first edition of Munro's Tables listed 538 tops over 3,000ft, of which 283 were considered by him to be separate mountains, and soon became known as "Munros". Rather unhelpfully, Munro did not set out a clear definition of how a top qualified to be considered a separate mountain, and later efforts to work back from his conclusions to his reasoning suggest that he never tried to apply an objective definition, instead apparently deciding that if it looked and felt like a separate mountain, then it was. It may well be that this was because Munro did not care greatly about the difference: his own interest was primarily in climbing all 538 tops, including the Munros. He fell fractionally short, climbing 535 of them by the time of his death in 1919. But while it may not have mattered greatly to Munro, this lack of clarity has been the cause of intense - almost theological - debate ever since.

Munro himself was working on a revision of his tables at the time of his death in 1919 which would have changed the numbers of Munros and tops, and since his death the tables have been revised on a number of occasions by the Scottish Mountaineering Club. The most recent change took place in 1997, when more accurate altitude measurements and a shifting consensus of the distinction between what was properly a Munro and what was properly a top were applied. The result was an increase in the number of Munros from 277 to 284, and the 1997 Edition of the tables also listed a further 227 tops over 3,000ft, making 511 tops in all. For a while it seemed likely that advances in measurement techniques might also lead to the promotion to Munro status of two mountains previously thought to be fractionally under 3,000ft in height.

But in June 2007 it was announced that Foinaven in Sutherland fell short of the magic 3,000ft by 12ft, and in September 2007 it emerged that the second possibility, Beinn Dearg in Torridon, failed to qualify by an even narrower margin, when it turned out to be 2,997.58ft high. In 2009 several mountains known to be close to the 3,000ft figure were resurveyed. On 10 September 2009 it was announced that Sgùrr nan Ceannaichean, south of Glen Carron, had a height of 2,997ft (913.43m) and no longer qualified for Munro status. In a 2011 survey, Beinn a' Chlaidheimh was found to be 2,998ft 8in (914 m) high.

In the 2012 revision of the tables these two mountains were removed and the result was to give 282 Munros and 227 further subsidiary tops, making 509 tops in all. We've already seen that Sir Hugh Munro didn't quite succeed in climbing all 538 of his tops, and neither was he the first to climb all the Munros, as the three tops he was missing when he died included two Munros. The honour of being the first to climb all the Munros fell to the Reverend Archibald E. Robertson when he reached the summit of his 283rd and final Munro, Meall Dearg in Glen Coe, on 28 September 1901. Well, it was probably his 283rd, because later analysis of his diaries have led some to question whether he ever climbed Ben Wyvis, having been forced to turn back from it during one of his early climbs. As a perfectionist (and a church minister) it seems almost certain that he did, even if the record of the event has not survived.

Either way, Robertson has gone down in history as the first person to successfully complete a full round of the Munros. Or should that be "compleat"? The Scottish Mountaineering Club have traditionally referred to rounds of Munros being "compleated" and those who have climbed all the Munros as "compleatists". Some feel that this deliberate anachronism is a little pretentious: but on the other hand, we are dealing here with a feat that is exclusively measured in anachronistic units (climbing mountains measured in feet rather than metres), so why not? The Reverend Robertson remained the only person to have compleated a round of Munros for 22 years, when he was joined on the list of compleatists in 1923 by the Reverend A.R.G. Burn. They were joined in 1927 by J.A. Parker, in 1930 by J.R. Corbett (the man who gave his name to Corbetts), and in 1933 by J. Dow. By the outbreak of war in 1939, a total of nine people had compleated the Munros.

By 1960 this total had risen to 40. And in late 2007, the list of compleatists stood on the verge of its 4,000th member. Another word about terminology here may be helpful. Many refer to the Reverend Robertson as "the first Munroist", and define a Munroist as someone who has compleated a full round of Munros. Others, however, describe those in the process of collecting Munros as "Munroists": something which has come to the fore in the titles of books like "The Munroist's Log" and "The Munroist's Companion". On the whole it seems better to avoid this ambiguity altogether by referring to those who have compleated a round as compleatists, and those in the process of doing so as Munro-baggers. And, finally, what about all those people already on the SMC list of compleatists when the number of Munros was increased from 277 to 284 in 1997? Not to worry: what matters is the list contained in the current edition of Munro's Tables at the time you climb your final Munro.

Those no longer able to climb the "missing" 8 when the list was changed in 1997 are still regarded as having compleated the Munros (the additional number is 8, not 7, because one mountain previously considered to be a Munro was demoted in the 1997 tables). Though, arguably, the change did give people already on the list the chance to compleat for a second time simply by climbing the eight new Munros: and of course the changes in 2012 further complicate matters! Munro lists and routes by Steven Fallon Hardest Munros Best Munros The mountains in Scotland over 3,000 feet (914 metres) in height are called the Munros. Named after Hugh Munro, the first person to compile a list of them in 1891, there were were originally 283 Munros.

The list has grown and shrunk over the years - in 1984 it was 277, in 1997 it grew to 284 and in September 2009 it returned to 283 after Sgurr nan Ceannaichean was re-measured and found to miss the magic height by 1 metre. The most recent revision of the list found Beinn a'Chlaidheimh in Fisherfield to be under the 3,000ft height, therefore bringing the current total to 282 Munros. In addition to Munros, there are also Munro Tops and Murdos. Munro Tops are summits that are over 3,000ft, but considered to be a subsidary top of a nearby Munro. There are currently 227 Munro Tops. Murdos are Scottish hills over 3,000ft with a minimum drop of 30 metres on all sides - all Munros are Murdos, but not all Munro Tops are Murdos. There are 442 Murdos.

If you're starting off hillwalking or thinking about Munro-bagging, then have a look at our page with the easiest Munro walks . See the tabs above to get the Munros listed by region, name, height and more. See all the Munros and other hills on an interactive map .

Question: What name is given to Scottish mountains which are over 3000 feet?
Answer: MUNROS